Launch of Dementia Friendly Whitehill and Bordon

Whitehill and Bordon are on their way to being friendly, welcoming and supportive communities for people living with dementia and their loved ones, following the launch of Dementia Friendly Whitehill and Bordon on Thursday 12 May.

The project organisers - Right at Home Alton and Bordon, Cafe 1759 and Dementia Friendly Hampshire - are encouraging residents, shoppers and businesses to look out for information leaflets and future events to learn more about dementia and what they can do to support the initiative.  

“Dementia Friendly Whitehill and Bordon is about helping residents and visitors with dementia to continue to be part of our community. We want people with dementia to feel understood, valued and able to contribute to life in Whitehill and Bordon. When people in the community understand more about dementia, those with the condition can live more comfortably and enjoy life more,” says Alastair Shanks, Managing Director of Right at Home, a home care company serving Bordon and nearby areas.

The Alzheimer’s Society, the national charity for dementia, reports that people with dementia often withdraw from community life because others in their town or village do not recognise or understand the condition or know how to interact with someone who has it.

To combat this, the organisation is helping towns like Bordon become recognised dementia friendly communities. The organisers of Dementia Friendly Whitehill and Bordon are following the Alzheimer’s Society’s guidance by running awareness raising activities and involving people already affected by dementia in the development of resources.

Jane Ward from Dementia Friendly Hampshire explains: “It’s so important that we keep people affected by dementia at the centre of every dementia friendly project as learning from their experiences is key to success. We must say a huge thank you to the members of the Sunflower Café dementia group in Bordon who allowed us to take over their monthly meeting. It is so appropriate that they were an important part of this launch. We were also very pleased to have Cllr Adam Carew, Chairman of East Hampshire District Council at the launch as he funded the banners and leaflets which will help promote the project as it grows.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Society there are an estimated 900,000 people in the UK with dementia, mainly but not exclusively people over the age of 65. Right at Home Alton and Bordon runs the regular Sunflower Cafe for people affected by dementia and their carers. The cafe provides advice, information and a warm welcome at Cafe 1759, Chieftain House, every second and fourth Thursday of the month. There is no need to book and a suggested donation of £3 is invited.

Right at Home, Dementia Friendly Hampshire and Cafe 1759 hope to work with faith groups, care homes, schools and businesses as they develop the project. Petersfield, Alton, Southampton, and Woking are just a few examples of established dementia friendly communities in the south east.